Ballistic-resistant panel including high modulus ultra high molecular weight polyethylene tape

1. A ballistic resistant panel comprising:

a compressed stack of interleaved layers of high modulus material, said compressed stack of interleaved layers including a strike face portion and a backing portion;

said strike face portion of said compressed stack including a plurality of interleaved layers of cross-plied non-fibrous ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) tape;

each of said layers of cross-plied non-fibrous ultra high molecular weight polyethylene tape including a first layer of unidirectional tape strips bonded together at their edges, a second layer of unidirectional tape strips bonded together at their edges, and said tape strips in said first and second layers are at an angle of 90° with respect to each other; and

said backing portion of said compressed stack including a plurality of interleaved layers of cross-plied fibers embedded in resin.

2. The ballistic resistant panel of claim 1 wherein

each of said layers of cross-plied non-fibrous ultra high molecular weight polyethylene tape includes a plurality of tape strips;

said tape strips include edges; and

said tape strips are fused together in a butt joint or overlap joint at said edges.

3. The ballistic resistant panel of claim 2 wherein said non-fibrous ultra high molecular weight polyethylene tape strips include

a viscosity-average molecular weight of at least 2,000,000;

a thickness of between 0.0015 and 0.004 inch; and

a modulus of greater than 1400 grams per denier.

4. The ballistic resistant panel of claim 1 wherein said compressed stack of interleaved layers of high modulus material are compressed and bonded together at

a pressure of between 100 and 4,000 psi; and

a temperature of between 150 and 300 degrees F.

5. The ballistic resistant panel of claim 1 including an adhesive on at least one side of each of said layers of said cross-plied non-fibrous ultra high molecular weight polyethylene tape.

6. The ballistic resistant panel of claim 5 wherein said adhesive on each of said interleaved layers of said non-fibrous ultra high molecular weight polyethylene tape is selected from the group consisting of polyamide, polyolefin, ethylene vinylacetate copolymer, polyurethane, ethylene acrylic acid copolymer, polystryrene-isoprene copolymer, or ethylene/methacrylic acid copolymer.

7. The ballistic resistant panel of claim 2 wherein said non-fibrous UHMWPE tape strips

are formed from stretching partially oriented UHMWPE tape to a total draw ratio of 100:1 or greater wherein the draw ratio is defined as the length after stretching divided by the length before stretching;

said tape strips include a width to thickness ratio of at least 400:1; and

said tape strips include a denier of between 6,000 and 90,000.

8. The ballistic resistant panel of claim 5 wherein said adhesive includes a scrim of adhesive laminated to one side of each of said interleaved layers of non-fibrous UHMWPE tape.

9. The ballistic resistant panel of claim 5 wherein

each of said layers of said cross-plied non-fibrous UHMWPE tape includes two sides; and

said adhesive is in the form of a resinous adhesive dispersed in a solvent and applied to one side of said non-fibrous UHMWPE tape.

10. A ballistic-resistant panel for incorporation in a fixed or mobile armored structure, said ballistic-resistant panel including

three layers of high modulus material including two outer layers sandwiched around an inner layer;

said outer layers including a plurality of cross-plied sheets laminated together by heat and pressure with each of said cross-plied sheets including a plurality of ends of adhesive-coated monolithic non-fibrous ultra high molecular weight polyethylene tape fused together at their edges;

said inner layer including a plurality of cross-plied fibers embedded in resin; and

said three layers bonded together by heat and pressure.

11. The ballistic-resistant panel of claim 10 wherein said three layers are molded together at a pressure of between 100 and 4,000 psi and a temperature of between 150 and 300° F. to form said ballistic-resistant panel.

12. The ballistic-resistant panel of claim 10 wherein each of said ends of adhesive-coated monolithic non-fibrous ultra high molecular weight polyethylene tape are 19,000 denier tape with adhesive applied to at least one side of said non-fibrous tape.

13. The ballistic-resistant panel of claim 10 wherein each of said ends non-fibrous ultra high molecular weight polyethylene tape includes

a viscosity-average molecular weight of at least 2,000,000;

a width of at least 1.0 inch;

a thickness of between 0.0015 and 0.004 inch;

a width to thickness ratio of at least 400:1; and

a modulus of greater than 1,400 grams per denier.

14. The ballistic-resistant panel of claim 10 wherein said adhesive on said adhesive-coated monolithic non-fibrous ultra high molecular weight polyethylene tape is selected from the group consisting of polyamide, polyolefin, ethylene vinylacetate copolymer, polyurethane, ethylene acrylic acid copolymer, polystryrene-isoprene copolymer, or ethylene/methacrylic acid copolymer.